Drier



(No Model.)

Y D. HENDERSON.

DRIBR.

lr u.

e l e UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DUNCAN HENDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,199. dated December 8, 1885.

Application filed December 13, 1884. Serial No. 150,324. (No model.)

lar Substances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to-improvements in driers for sand, grain, or other small or granulated substances, but is more particularly designed for drying tank-offal, which said driers have heretofore been provided with agitators for distributing the materials in their passage through the drier, so as to more fully expose them to a current of air directed through the drier.

The objects of this invention are not only to distribute the materials to be dried, but to break up and effectively distribute the aircurrents at various points in the drier, and at 'the same time direct said air-currents in a line at a right angle to the line of travel of the materials to be dried. A further object is to alternately spread and then bring together the materials to be dried, and at the same time force them in contact with dry or heated surfaces, which, operating in conjunction, serve to effectually separate and expose to a dryair current the material operated upon and Without materially retarding their progress through the drier. A further object is to maintain an even and desirable high temperature in the drier, and such a temperature as will most effectually promote the drying process without any liability of burning or otherwise injuring the materials operated upon; and, finally, to provide certain details of construction, hereinafter described, for reducing to a minimum the cost and simplicity of driers for like purposes. I attain these objects by devices illustrated in the accompanying draw ings, in which- A Figure l represents a side elevation of a drier embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a central longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3, a transverse section of the same on line x of Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

A indicates the cylindrical wall or shell proper of the drier, and B C, respectively, the

upper and lower heads or ends thereof. The shell A is surrounded by a shell, D, to form a chamber surrounding the drier and constituting a steam-tight jacket, in which is circulated steam introduced through the pipes c b, respectively, opening into the steam-chamber near the upper and lower ends` thereof, which said pipes are preferably connected with a superheater and provided with globe-valves, for the purpose of regulating the iiow of steam at a sufficiently high temperature for attaining the best results. The steam chamber or jacket has no communication with the dryingchamber, and, if desired, may extend over the ends thereof, but in practice I have so far not i found this necessary. The upper end of the steamjacket is also preferably provided with a blow-off pipe, c, having a suitable safetyvalve, c', for closing it.

At intervals, and closely fitting in and bolted to the walls of the drying-chamber, are a series of perforated shelves, E, below and from which project cone-shaped metallic chutes F, which direct the offal or other substances to be dried toward the diametrical center of the drying-chamber. Plates or shelves-E are provided with central perforations surrounded with hubs d, for the passage of a shaft, G, upon which is keyed or bolted a series of rakes or agitators, H, corresponding in number with and operating upon the upper side of the shelves, to separate or distribute and direct the offal through the perforations in the shelves, said agitators being revolved through the medium of the shaft by power applied to the gear e and pinion f, and having an end bearing in a bar, g, just above the lower end of the drier. Shaft G is hollow and is provided with a series of perforations, h, at a point between or above and below the shelves, and at its upper end is connected `With a pipe, t', through which air is forced, in preferably superheated condition, to the drying-chamber.

In the construction shown, the drier, when in operation, is supported from its lower end by some suitable means in a vertical position, so that the perforated shelves are in a horizontal plane, and the current of dry air escaping through the perforations in the shaft is in a line at a right angle to the direction of the falling offal or other fertilizer, which is introduced through a man-hole, I, in the upper end of the drier. In practice this arrangement of the drier and the parts mentioned is found to produce the best results; but it will be no departure from my invention to incline the drier and modify the arrangement and construction of the several parts constituting the several iiights for separating the material and releasing the moisture therefrom.

In practice superheated steam is first introduced into the jacketV and superheated air into the drying-chamber through the hollow shaft and its perforations, until the temperature of the drier 1s raised to the degree required for attaining the best results. The offal or other materials to be dried are then introduced through the man-hole, which may be connected with a hopper or other receptacle, and by their gravity descend through the drier and escape through the outlet j at the bottom thereof. The major part of the materials introduced through the man-hole will strike upon the first shelf, but will only halt l, a moment in their descent, owing to the action of the agitators, which tend not only to distribute them evenly over the shelf, but to force the materials through the perforations thereof. Sol much of the material to be dried as passes through the perforations next the edges of the shelves will strike against and to some extent rebound from the cone-shaped plates, which, being heated by the circulation of hot air in conjunction with the steam-jacket, not only serve to extract moisture from the materials, but to separate so as to expose them more fully and effectually to the hot-air currents than if the materials were to fall in a direct line from one shelf to the other.

.In addition to the above functions, thesedesired, may be connected by a suitable pipe with a fan or other exhausting device.

With this drier has been satisfactorily demonstrated that offal is more effectively and quickly driedand without injury or liability to injury than any of the machines now in 5o use for that purpose, and that, owing to the simplicity of the construction of its parts, there is little or no liability of its clogging up or breaking down.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,A isv.

1. The combination ofthe perforated shelves, rotating shaft, and rakes for agitating the maf terials thereon, with a series of cone-shaped 7o deflectors suspended from belowr said shelves, substantially as described.

2. The Combination, with a drying-@nml ber, a surrounding steam-jacket therefor, and

a series of distributers therein, of a hollow shaft extending through said drying-chamber and provided with a series of perforations di-v 1 y rectingcurrents of air through the materials to be dried and at a right angle to their line of travel, substantially as and for the purpose 8o described.

3. In a drier, the surrounding steam-jacket,

the hollow and perforated air-shaft, and means for rotating the same, in combination with the rakes secured to said shaft, the perforated shelves, and the cone-deectors, substantially as described.

. his DUN CAN HENDERSON.

mark.

Witnesses:

JNO. G. ELLIo'rT, W. W.' ELLIOTT. 

